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Rivers and Changing Seas

August 7, 2018

Sea level in coastal areas can be affected by a number of factors: tides, winds, waves, and even barometric pressure. New research led by WHOI physical oceanographer Chris Piecuch suggests that river outflow also could play a role in changing sea level. Since freshwater is naturally less dense than saltwater, river water flowing out into the ocean floats on the ocean’s surface. The Earth’s rotation then forces the freshwater to turn sharply along the coast, where it forms a current that pushes water up against the shoreline and raises local sea level in the process. (Illustration by Natalie Renier, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)